How to control shrimps population?

Staff MemberModerator

Hello here,
I have a 75gl planted tank and as today I am having a problem of shrimps overpopulation. I've got something like 20 Amano and 10 Red Cherry 4 months ago to control algae, and they did a great job destroying any algae in a matter of days. Now I have a different problem: shrimps bred so much that now I have probably hundreds of them in my tank, they keep breeding and are beginning to eat plants preventing them to grow naturally.

My fish can't control them: I have around 30 tetras (among them around 20 neon and 10 red minor tetras) together with 15 platies but nobody seems to care about the shrimps.

I am thinking to put some "shrimp eater" such as a puffer... what else do you suggest?

Lifetime Member

I'll bet apistos would eat the newly hatched ones. Of course then you'll have apisto fry, but that isn't so bad.

Puffers nip at everything, outside of one kind I saw in SF at Ocean Aquariums; they were about 2 inches in diameter. If anyone from that area knows what I'm talking about, I'd love the name.

Alternatively, maybe get a couple simple grow out tanks and sell them for $1-$2 each? Stores are trying to sell them at $3.99 each right now, there might be some LFS that'll buy from you. That failing, forums or aquabid could work.

Lifetime Member

The Bumblebee Goby, (a brackish water fish suitable for fresh water tanks) is a great fish to watch and they are great in a community tank. Puffers suitable for aquaria and fresh water can be found on the PufferPedia.

Staff MemberModerator

Thank you guys for your replies, I didn't think to sell my shrimps actually! My only problem is that my time is very tight, so I am not sure to have it enough to manage such a possible "shrimps business"...

Of course I can just ask to the local store if they want them though. I will consider all your suggestion, then I will let you know my results.

Thank you again very much. Of course, any further ideas are very welcome!

Staff MemberModerator

I'd be interested in finding the suggested Bumblee Bee Goby but I can't find anywhere in my area (southern California). Any suggestion? I also looked on liveaquaria.com online but they don't have them.

Bumblebee Gobies, Brachygobius xanthozona, are the only readily available Goby that can live reasonably well for any length of time in freshwater conditions. Even Brachygobius xanthozona are really brackish water fish, though they get along in hard freshwater conditions.

Most Gobioids can can and do spend a certain amount of time in freshwater or lightly brackish water, but need brackish to marine conditions for significant parts of their life cycle

Brachygobius nunus and Brachygobius doriae are often offered as 'freshwater' Gobies, they are not. In my experience many sellers make little if any attempt to distinguish species.

Lifetime Member

A good point Biollante, I should of mentioned that the salinity would rule out the Tetra as neighbors, but one look at their grumpy little faces and I was smitten. I've had mine (three) for four months (stumbled onto the Bumblebee at a LFS) and keep them with guppies. I add Aquarium salt ( two tablespoons for ten gallon tank) but admit a brackish water setup is more complex. I do have what might be considered moderately hard water but should change to a marine salt like Instant Ocean. I have no idea if Amano, or RCS like brackish water but probably not. Any suggestions? Guppies seam to prefer it when they are raised under brackish conditions. A Molly might be a better tank mate. Java fern seams alright.

Lifetime Member

My German Rams did a number on my shrimp. If you can keep Cherry shrimp you likely have decent enough water quality to keep GRs but your luck may vary.

However, I have another question for you. How are you breeding Amano shrimp? I was under the impression that they required a brackish/brine water for the early period of their lifecycle. I've had no problems getting mine to spawn and have several females with eggs, but they never seem to hatch and I certainly haven't seen anything that looks like little shrimp so I'm wondering how you're getting yours past that stage. Given what I've read on Amano shrimp and what the fry would need in terms of feeding and the salt water I haven't bothered pulling any of them out of tank to try and raise them.

I know glass/ghost shrimp are often mislabeled, do you possibly have them instead?

Hello here,
I have a 75gl planted tank and as today I am having a problem of shrimps overpopulation. I've got something like 20 Amano and 10 Red Cherry 4 months ago to control algae, and they did a great job destroying any algae in a matter of days. Now I have a different problem: shrimps bred so much that now I have probably hundreds of them in my tank, they keep breeding and are beginning to eat plants preventing them to grow naturally.

My fish can't control them: I have around 30 tetras (among them around 20 neon and 10 red minor tetras) together with 15 platies but nobody seems to care about the shrimps.

I am thinking to put some "shrimp eater" such as a puffer... what else do you suggest?

Staff MemberModerator

shoggoth43,
I didn't anything special to let them breed: my tank is fully planted, with so many plants that probably they can easily hide and breed. I have lots of java moss in my tank, maybe that helps too.

Also, I feed my shrimps with a large variety of food: pellets, several kind of algae wafers as well fresh vegetables such as: spinach (best organic, frozen are ok), pees, cucumbers, lettuce.

Of course my shrimps eat most of my plants also, that's why I am trying to get rid of most of them, they are so many that my plants are having problems to grow well.

Lifetime Member

A good point Biollante, I should of mentioned that the salinity would rule out the Tetra as neighbors, but one look at their grumpy little faces and I was smitten. I've had mine (three) for four months (stumbled onto the Bumblebee at a LFS) and keep them with guppies. I add Aquarium salt ( two tablespoons for ten gallon tank) but admit a brackish water setup is more complex. I do have what might be considered moderately hard water but should change to a marine salt like Instant Ocean. I have no idea if Amano, or RCS like brackish water but probably not. Any suggestions? Guppies seam to prefer it when they are raised under brackish conditions. A Molly might be a better tank mate. Java fern seams alright.

Click to expand...

Hi Tug'

I have never kept Amano, Caridina multidentata (Caridina japonica) in brackish water, the critters I have in my brackish tanks would consider them tasty treats, but I am quite sure they would tolerate (with a little acclimation) brackish water.

If you keep a reasonably deep paludarium, you can add another class of Goboids, little Mudskippers, Periophthalmus barbarus (my favorite) or Periopthalmus koelreuteri, Pearse's mudskipper, Periophthalmus novemradiatus, (I believe this is the most commonly available in the pet trade) and the like.

Periophthalmus argentilineatus, is the most common mudskipper and they are cute, but grow to 7 inches (18 cm) and will eat just about anything (or anyone) it can latch on to and they are very territorial.

For brackish water plants:

• The obvious Java Fern, Microsorum pteropus, has done all right in higher light; I am not very impressed with it in brackish water.
• Java Moss, Vesicularia Dubyana, I have not had much success with in brackish water; it may be the higher tank temperatures I tend to keep.
• Chain Swordplant, Echinodorus tenellus, I am not sure this plant can be killed.
• Micro Sword, Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae, does very well
• "Onion Plant,” Crinum thaianum, needs a bit of light, but once established, quite undemanding.
• Temple Plant, Hygrophila corymbosa, likes high light, is also a tasty snack for crabs and snails.
• Water Sprite, Ceratopteris thalicroide, needs a bit of a head start, it is a tasty plant, but grows fast, if kept in warm water under bright light, works floating (the way I keep them) or anchored.
• Bacopa (Bacopa carolina), seems to grow in most conditions a pretty plant for brackish water.
​

If you are keeping a paludarium, in particular with mudskippers, Mangrove trees are a must! The Red Mangrove, Rhizophora mangle, are marvelous, floating or anchored, even from seed, these things are nothing short of cool (in a hot humid sort of way).

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